The easy way

[hellfire28]

Hey gang,

So, my rig died and I'm planning a new PC build soon (like tomorrow) The problem is, I love my former SSE build. I have all of the files on a dedicated SSD that was not the C drive. Would it be possible to just plug the dedicated SSD drive into my new build, format it, download Nexus, and then tell nexus where all the files are and load them up - or is the process more involved than that?

Thanks for your help!

[jones177]

Hi

 

These are the files that make up your game.

 

1. Skyrim Special Edition folder.

 

2. Save game files & ini files in your Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition folder.

 

3. plugins.txt file found in AppData\Local\Skyrim Special Edition. This is your mod load list & load order file.

 

With these 3 you can restore your modded game after you install the base game from Steam.

 

I don't usually bother restoring the NMM files but I do save the mod archive files. They are located at C:\Games\Nexus Mod Manager\SkyrimSE

 

Later

[hellfire28]

Hi

 

These are the files that make up your game.

 

1. Skyrim Special Edition folder.

 

2. Save game files & ini files in your Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition folder.

 

3. plugins.txt file found in AppData\Local\Skyrim Special Edition. This is your mod load list & load order file.

 

With these 3 you can restore your modded game after you install the base game from Steam.

 

I don't usually bother restoring the NMM files but I do save the mod archive files. They are located at C:\Games\Nexus Mod Manager\SkyrimSE

 

Later

Thanks! So, I know that #2 was on C (which I think I can restore for just the data?) and #1 and #3 were on another dedicated drive. What do you recommend I do first after downloading SSE afresh?

[3aq]

I would recommend you start using MO2 and use it alongside NMM.. here's a quick copy paste with a few modification of what I type sometime back..

 

 

Here's how, assuming you haven't done anything, go into your NMM folders and locate the category and profile folder/files and delete them; those categories will do you more to confuse you more than anything. Fire up NMM let it do its things, when prompted to associate categories click no, again don't use the category. Make 3 separate categories: 1. Main, 2. Additional, 3. Questionable, 4. Patches. Put files that you consider core, very important files in that category, then put additional supplementary mods into Additional category, with the last category used to store your questionable content (things you wonder if it's worth installing, questionable content), 4. Patches, place your various patch files in this category. You should end up with 4 categories in general: 1. Main, 2. Additional, 3. Questionable, 4. Patches, Unassigned.

 

Use your NMM as the main download manager / file bank, and your MO2 as your game manager. Port only the files you will be actively using to MO2 and remove those that you don't from it. When used properly, becomes an especially powerful and equally beneficial to you because you will no longer be forced to store all your files, both file bank (aka the originals) and vfx (the virtual copies) in the same drive, effectively doubling your storage capabilities. It also has the secondary effect of improving your overall file integrity if you should mistakenly f' up along the ways with SSEDIT/the like and mistakenly (quite easily might I add) wipe out your file bank's files. (And should that happen, MO2 will still show your install folders regardless of whether the files are inside them, so you simply have to rightclick and reinstall, no huss, no fuss, whereas if you were just MO2, you'd be pretty much be s*** out of luck).

 

I personally been using this method. I store all my mods into my external backup SSD where Nexus mods is located, and port the mods I use to MO2 which is stored on my internal SSD. And as of late, since I have a fairly big external SSD backup (2tb), I've been routinely making backup of my MO2 folder, common/Skyrim folder and MyDocument's skyrim, skyrimpref inis by means of copying and 7zipping them. The process takes about an hour but it's a very useful insurance to fall back on should something really go bad. I mean it would suck very much if you lost your "perfect" Skyrim etc.

[jones177]

 

Hi

 

These are the files that make up your game.

 

1. Skyrim Special Edition folder.

 

2. Save game files & ini files in your Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition folder.

 

3. plugins.txt file found in AppData\Local\Skyrim Special Edition. This is your mod load list & load order file.

 

With these 3 you can restore your modded game after you install the base game from Steam.

 

I don't usually bother restoring the NMM files but I do save the mod archive files. They are located at C:\Games\Nexus Mod Manager\SkyrimSE

 

Later

Thanks! So, I know that #2 was on C (which I think I can restore for just the data?) and #1 and #3 were on another dedicated drive. What do you recommend I do first after downloading SSE afresh?

 

 

After install the game through Steam, start the game & switch it off. Skyrim SE now has created the files & folders you need to overwrite.

Now copy the game folder overwriting the Steam files. Copy over your save game files. Then replace the plugins.txt file the game created with your modded one.

 

The plugins.txt file is how NMM interacts with the game. Without it your game is lost. NMM keeps a backup but it is in the same folder as the plugins.txt file.

 

Later

[hellfire28]

Ha! It worked! This is all I did:

 

1) Rename file paths to former names of drive on previous build (changing the letter "C: as an example"). I didn't have to move my saved games location after renaming the drives.

2) Changed the steam library location in Steam under settings

3) Re-downloaded Nexus

4) Re-downloded Loot (I guess optional)

5 Updated ini (just launch the game) and changed with BETH ini (optional)

6) Launched Skyrim - Done!

 

 

Thanks for your help, y'all! This thread may help someone in the future.